Tag: Eglon

For Our Admonition Part 13

“Sanctification of the Promised Land”

Key Verses: Judges 3:16 – 3:30

This is the second part of the story of Judge Ehud (See FOA Part 12 Here). Ehud was raised up by the Lord to deliver Israel from the Moabite coalition with the Ammonites and Amalekites. The promised land, the kingdom of God within us has been invaded and it is going to take the raising of one willing to be a warrior for God to bring freedom back to Israel.

2Co 3:17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

With ears to hear and eyes to see, the coming of Christ raises us up a judge to give us power over our enemies and begin the many tribulations and wars we must live out inwardly.

Act 2:30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;

Those wars all originate from our flesh and its marred carnal nature.

Jas 4:1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?

We ended last week with verse 21 and Ehud thrusting the dagger into the belly of King Eglon. Let’s backtrack some before we go further into the details of how this heathen king, representing our carnal mind and all the inherent fleshly lusts is vanquished from the Promised Land within us.

Jdg 3:16 But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh.

Jdg 3:17 And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man.

Jdg 3:18 And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people that bare the present.

Jdg 3:19 But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him.

Jdg 3:20 And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat.

Jdg 3:21 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly:

Jdg 3:22 And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out.

With Moabites in the promised land, there will not be the peace and freedom that only Christ ruling the land brings. This story is a parable of the spiritual warfare we are waging in the kingdom of God within us. There are lessons to be learned here (1Co 10:6, 11) as the Israel of God (the Body of Christ) strives to cleanse the land and sanctify the temple of God which temple we are (1Co 3:16). Our old man who is of his father the devil (Joh 8:44) loves to eat the things of the flesh (i.e. dust – Gen 3:14) and is a very fat man.

Fat in the positive relates to the health of an animal and that is always given to the Lord. Being strong in spirit is being fat in spirit but that requires us to be weak in the flesh and humbled by the word working judgment within us.

Psa 92:12 The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

Psa 92:14 They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;

Fat in the negative is our following false doctrines, worshipping our beast and claiming God’s work as our work. This is stealing the Lord’s glory and making ourselves as gods and is how we spiritually become a very fat man like King Eglon. The God of the Moabites is Chemosh which means “to subdue” and specifically symbolizing putting us back into bondage to our carnal mind and flesh nature.

Rev 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

Rev 13:12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

Solomon like us make the mistake of not separating from the world and allowing a strange woman and her 200 million carnal lies (Rev 9:16) to come into the land. This is putting the beast that is a King Eglon back on the throne.

1Ki 11:7 Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.

1Ki 11:8 And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.

Our spiritual fat, the increase given of the Lord, is always to be given back by being burned on the altar which is our sacrificed life and reasonable service (Lev 1:5-8, Rom 12:1). It is the wicked within us, the enemies of our own house, our carnal mind that are the enemies of God.

Psa 17:9 From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about.

Psa 17:10 They are inclosed in their own fat: with their mouth they speak proudly.

Php 3:18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:

Php 3:19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

Laying up treasures for ourselves (Luk 12:21) will lead us to forsake the Lord and install Eglon on the throne of our deceitful hearts.

Judge Ehud comes to confront Eglon bearing a present from the people of Israel. This present is an offering [H4503] meaning a sacrifice to this heathen king. This is a representation of us bowing down to the wisdom that the world teaches and not standing on the Word. After being brought into the marvelous light, we are to leave that darkness behind and have no fellowship with those dead works within and without.

2Co 6:15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

An appointed end comes to every man (is, was and will be) when we end the giving of sacrifices to the Moabite King that has invaded the land. This requires us to repent and turn away from the god of Chemosh and then confront the Moabite king. In this story, the KJV translators used the word “quarries” for the Hebrew word [H6456] that is otherwise always translated as graven, stone or carved image. To judge righteously we are turning away from the lies and idols of heart that first ensnare us in lukewarmness and unbelief. Quarries which are deep pits where the stone is mined fits the story especially when we think of the bottomless pit that is the sea of all flesh. These deep-seated carnal lies keep us from seeing the truth by blotting out the true doctrines of Jesus Christ. Eglon whose names means “bullock” is our fat and puffed up man of sin who is our beast and the offspring of Satan. As the king of our inward rock quarry, the Moabite will find lie (locusts) after lie (locusts) to keep the new man (Israel) in bondage.

Rev 9:10 And they (the locusts) had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.

Rev 9:11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.

The secret errand [H1697] of Ehud, is to speak the Word with power that comes when the dagger is thrust into the belly of our beast. It is the Word which is judging us and destroying the king of Moab and all the Moabites from the land in our day of the Lord. The greatest secret that nobody understands until it begins to happen is the revealing of this secret.

Col 1:26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery (secret) among the Gentiles; which is Christ (The WORD of GOD)in you, the hope of glory:

This all takes place in the parlor [H5944], another symbol for the upper room and the heavens where the battle for control of our mind is taking place. The fact it is also labeled a summer parlor [H4747] indicates it is judgment time (i.e. hot, fiery, a furnace of affliction) on the house of God. A summer parlor is where one cools off and seeks to get away from the heat of summer which is spiritually the judgment and wrath of God on the old man. The Lord will find us when judgment time is come and there is no place our old man can hide. When the fiery sword or dagger comes to our belly (flesh), it comes suddenly and there is no escape.

1Th 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

1Th 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

There are instructive details on how Ehud slew the Moabite.

Jdg 3:21 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly:

Jdg 3:22 And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out.

We covered the significance of using our left hand putting both the right and left to work to overcome our enemies. The two-edged dagger here is the Hebrew word for sword [H2719] which in the positive is the Word of God that destroys God’s enemies within us by bringing judgment. We also discussed the viciousness and renown fighting abilities of Benjamites last study. We will focus on the gory details that follow as we look for further admonition and edification on applying this parable to our own lives and walk. The Lord is giving us this gory detail for a reason.

Ehud thrust in the dagger with such force it went clean into Eglon’s belly even enclosing over the handle such that the dagger could not be drawn back out. This exemplifies the viciousness we are to take in warring against our flesh and destroying our inward enemies.

Eze 7:4 And mine eye shall not spare thee, neither will I have pity: but I will recompense thy ways upon thee, and thine abominations shall be in the midst of thee: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

Mat 24:2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

To progress towards salvation, we have to be unwavering in our faith. The whole counsel of God must be proclaimed and obeyed.

Act 20:27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

Psa 119:160 The sum of thy word is truth; And every one of thy righteous ordinances endureth for ever.

Luk 9:62 But Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

The Word of God in our bellies will bring out all the dirt and everything that defiles the temple of God. The cleaning of the inside of our cup, the will of God, has commenced when the word is implanted into our bellies. All will be revealed and come to the light.

1Th 4:3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:

Mat 15:18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

Luk 12:2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.

The second part of our study will cover what happens after the Moabite King has been killed. Ehud took some additional actions that are instructive to our walk.

Jdg 3:23 Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them.

Jdg 3:24 When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlourwere locked, they said, Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber.

Jdg 3:25 And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the doors of the parlour; therefore they took a key, and opened them: and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.

Jdg 3:26 And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirath.

Remember that Eglon was not in Moab. The Moabites are invaders (carnal fleshly lies) from across the Jordan River that have entered and our possessing the city of palm trees. The Moabite king dwelling within us (Israel) is a mixed multitude mindset who spews out both blessings and cursing out of our mouth (Jam 3:10-11). The Moabites must be locked out.

Neh 13:1 On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever;

Neh 13:2 Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing.

Neh 13:3 Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.

Locking the doors to our upper chamber is guarding our gates. Taking carnal thoughts captive that exalt themselves against Jesus Christ is a lifelong good fight of faith.

1Jn 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

1Jn 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

Opening or closing a door spiritually also speaks to opening or closing one’s understanding of the things of the spirit. Those doors are locked or opened only by the Lord.

Rev 3:7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;

It is by binding and loosing, locking and unlocking doors of understanding that the Lord confounds the wisdom of the wise. The Moabites are without understanding (locked out) to the strange act of the Lord in exposing and destroying the man of sin sitting in the temple. A time comes after much torment that the door is opened only to discover their king is dead.

Jdg 3:25 And they tarried [H2342] till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the doors of the parlour; therefore they took a key, and opened them: and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.

The word for “tarried” [H2342] in Jdg 3:25 is better expressed as pained or confounded. Such is the torment of our old man as we endure being shown the shame of our nakedness when the judge is in our upper chamber. As we abide with the judges of the world to come who are the angels of the Lord and this very Body of Christ that are speaking words of fire in our last days.

Jer 30:23 Behold, the whirlwind of the LORD goeth forth with fury, a continuing whirlwind: it shall fall with pain [H2342] upon the head of the wicked.

A well known NT witness of the torment and pain to the carnal mind within us.

Rev 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels,(the Judge) and in the presence of the Lamb:

After a while, we are able to look behind us and the Lord unlocks the door so that we are given the understanding that our old man of sin, the King of Moab is dying and is dead and no longer the one leading us.

Gal 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

This, of course, is an “is, was and will “ (i.e. a daily) process as the Moabites are always lurking nearby to the promised land as our own flesh and blood. Escaping thru the midst we like Ehud we are able to move on and get beyond the false gods (our beast) we set up in our heavens that are the god of the Moabites and Ammonites (Chemosh and Molech).

1Ti 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

The story concludes with Ehud escaping and seeking refuge with the children of Israel (aka the Body of Christ) in the high places of truth.

Jdg 3:26 And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirath.

Jdg 3:27 And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them.

Jdg 3:28 And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over.

Jdg 3:29 And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man.

Jdg 3:30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.

Blowing a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim (means double fruit – i.e. good works) is leading our maturing mindset back into war (judgment) with the Moabites to finish off this enemy that has been delivered into our hand. This applies to what we do inwardly in our own heavens but also to those who hear the words and the testimony of Jesus Christ in us.

1Ti 4:16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

Christ will in due time subdue the Moabites that surround the land within us. That will come when they are measured (judged) by the plumbline that is in is working righteousness.

2Sa 8:2 And (David) he smote Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground; even with two lines measured he to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive. And so the Moabites became David’s servants, and brought gifts.

It will take the rest of our lives to keep the land cleansed of the Moabites. Living in these clay vessels ensures this enemy is always just around the corner. Therefore, the entryways into the promised land are to always be guarded. Carnal thoughts (Moabites) are to be immediately captured and killed.

2Ki 3:24 And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them: but they went forward smiting the Moabites, even in their country.

A NT witness of this no mercy policy against the carnal thoughts is this admonition.

2Co 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

2Co 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

2Co 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

The fords of the river towards Moab were taken and controlled by Israel. Henceforth for a season (Ecc 3:1), no Moabites could enter into the land. This is our battle that is being waged in heaven against our own flesh.

Pro 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Eph 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

It is a common number of 10,000 when speaking about the destruction of the enemies of Israel (2Ch 25:11, Jdg 1:4, Lev 26:8, etc). This number is derived using 10 to the 4th power as the number four symbolizes the whole of whatever is the subject under discussion. The number 10,000 symbolizes the destruction of all (the whole) flesh and is found by multiplying the number 10 that symbolizes the perfection of the flesh four times (10 x 10 x 10 x 10). Flesh I s not good (Mar 3:18) and is never good enough to enter the kingdom of God (1Co 15:50). It was created to be destroyed and by that process, a new vessel come forth.

Jer 18:4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

We will in due time slay 10,000 (carnal lies/lusts) Moabites who will first make us unhealthy (fat in the negative) and keep us wise in our own eyes. No carnal lie can stand in the presence of the Truth. This is how we put 10,000 Moabites to flight and can quickly cleanse the land.

1Jn 2:21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

Luk 10:17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.

There is an entire 47 verse chapter of Jeremiah 48 devoted to the judgment of the nation of Moab. The end will be the destruction of Moab as a new earth and a new heaven is made in our day of the Lord. Cutting to the chase here is how it will end in the appointed time.

Jer 48:46 Woe be unto thee, O Moab! the people of Chemosh perisheth: for thy sons are taken captives, and thy daughters captives.

Jer 48:47 Yet will I bring again the captivity of Moab in the latter days, saith the LORD. Thus far is the judgment of Moab.

The story ends with Moab being subdued and the promised land returning unto rest for 80 years. Entering into the rest of Christ requires us to work out our own salvation, making war in our heavens and taking the Moabites (our carnal thoughts and lusts) captive to the His commandments. The war will both be outward with those we interact with but it will principally and always be applied inwardly as we are to be ready for battle every single day.

Mat 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
Mat 10:35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
Mat 10:36 And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.

We must endure these hardships and daily battles with the Moabites nations. We will lose some battles just as Israel did but we will win the war if we endure and keep on getting right back up when we do fail (Pro 24:16).

Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Being strong in the Lord requires us to engage in spiritual warfare using both hands like Ehud the Benjamite. We must wage war against the Moabite nations and the fleshly lusts that wage war against our soul.

1Pe 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

Sincere comments and questions are always welcome. You can also email me directly at peterjwilson56@gmail.com

For Our Admonition Part 12

“Killing the Moabites Within Us”

Key Verses: Jdg 3:12 – 3:16

As covered in the last study (Enemies Left in the Promised Land), the book of Judges illustrates the beginnings of our true spiritual life and the sanctification and victory over sin. This victory only comes by a long process of many tribulations (Act 14:22) and many wars within us.

Mat 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

Mat 24:6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

We see in Judges; the repeated cycle of Israel being enslaved to its enemies and then the Lord raising up a deliverer to destroy the enemy and bring freedom. The Lord is working good and evil within us to bring about His perfect will (Phi 2:13, Eph 1:11). Victories over our enemies do come, yet we are being caused to fall back into sin as we await the coming of the Lord within us (2Th 2:3-4). In type, these experiences in Judges are the time we await the second coming of Christ who will henceforth lead us into all righteousness and conquer

Jdg 18:1 In those days there was no king in Israel: and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in; for unto that day all their inheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Israel.

Jdg 21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

Doing the best we can with the limited resources the Lord has given us at this yet carnal stage, we do what is right in our own mind.

Last study we saw that the enemies of God are left in the land to further teach us and prepare us for the Lord’s fiery trials and chastening grace (Isa 26:9, Heb 12:6). We are learning that the Word of God does indeed give us power over all our inward enemies, but as we will see in this study, we have to engage with both hands to act out our faith. Let’s now look at the appointment of the second Judge, named Ehud and the activities going on in the Promised Land. Othniel the first Judge has died and after a forty-year period of peace we read the following:

Jdg 3:12 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.

Jdg 3:13 And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.

Jdg 3:14 So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

It is our man of sin, the lover of fleshly things who exalts himself against Christ. This is the Moabite, the Ammonite, and the Amalekite within us that are just outside the Promised Land. Moab is where the Lord renewed the covenant with Israel (Deu 29:1) and where Moses was shown the land and then died (Deu 34:5). Moabites represent that which is born of flesh (Joh 3:6) which cannot inherit the Kingdom. Moab and Ammon came about from the incestuous relationship of Lot with his daughters (Gen 19:31-38). In the history of Israel, Moab, Ammon, and Amalek (Esau) represent our own flesh and specifically the carnal mind and thoughts within. That is where the war is being waged and where the man-child in us strives to grow up in the faith.

Mat 10:36 And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.

These inward enemies are often subdued but they keep on coming back to tangle and confound the Israel of God. These carnal thoughts are worldly thoughts and the way to overcome them is to obey the Lord who will then bless us (Exo 15:26) when we kill those lies in our heavens.

Rev 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

These incestuous fleshly mindsets are forbidden to enter our land and be in the congregation of the Lord. We must take captive the Moabites and Ammonites that sneak into the land within.

Deu 23:3 An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the LORD forever:

Judging righteous judgment is how the land is being possessed and dominion over flesh and our redemption given (Exo 6:6, Isa 1:27). We learn to take captive these carnal thoughts that otherwise take Israel (us) captive. These three nations and enemies are all to the east of Israel, signifying they are where we have come from (the world, being carnally minded), as we follow the Sun of Righteousness to the west and move onto maturity in the land of promise. We see from the Sum of Scriptures that Israel is always at war with our flesh and the heathen nations the Lord is created for the purpose of trying our faith. There is a Moabite around every corner to try us and to see if we walk in faith or allow our flesh to lead us.

2Co 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

2Co 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

2Co 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

While the Moabites serve us in overcoming giants in the wilderness (Deu 2:9-10 – Anakims and Emims), they remain adversaries to Israel to give us many trials to bring us to perfection in our day of the Lord. Pearls of great price and precious stones like the natural ones are only made through much friction (war, battles, irritation) and lots of heat and water (Rom 1:20)!

The name Moab comes from H1 “Father” and means “of his father” and as the product of incest means our carnally minded father, the devil (Joh 8:44). Our natural and carnally minded flesh is at enmity with the ways of the Lord and have the devil as their father. Moab is a representation of the ten headed beast of our father, the devil, as they share many goals and ambitions.

Jer 48:29 We have heard the pride of Moab, (he is exceeding proud) his loftiness, and his arrogancy, and his pride, and the haughtiness of his heart.

This is, was and will be the mindset of the Jews who believed on Christ (Joh 8:31), who come behind in no gift (1Co 1:7), having been given the truth, but we are yet carnal (1Co 3:3) and are fornicating with this world and mixing truth and lies. This mindset will seek to kill Christ and will keep us bound in unbelief being yet carnal for eighteen symbolic years.

Joh 8:40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham….

Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

The second named nation working with Moab is Ammon which also links to our ungodly fornication (incest) with our own flesh (our father the devil) and not the Lord’s truth.

H5983, ‛ammôn, am-mone’

From H5971; tribal, that is, inbred;Ammon, a son of Lot; also his posterity and their country: – Ammon, Ammonites.

Amalek, the third heathen nation gathered by the Lord against Israel, is a descendant of Esau (Gen 36:12) and is yet another representation of our flesh that is rejected and cannot inherit the kingdom. Our flesh will lead us away from the Lord and the narrow way as we saw the falling down of King Saul, the rejected anointed of the Lord. King Saul’s failure is our failure to utterly destroy our carnal thoughts and fleshly lusts that wage war against us. Saul was given this command.

1Sa 15:3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.

Yet his carnal mind rationalized it was fine to not to kill everything, so he picked and chose what to obey in the Lord’s commands and kept flesh alive.

1Sa 15:8 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.

1Sa 15:9 But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.

Because of this pattern of disobedience, Saul was rejected as king. We learn thru King Saul’s failure to precisely obey the Lord in dealing with our fleshly enemies.

1Sa 15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

It is important to note and remember who it was that raised up this evil against Israel. It is, was and will be the Lord who did it.

Jdg 3:12 …. and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel.

He is the one who raises up the wicked one within and without for the day of evil (Pro 16:4) and is causing Israel to err from His ways (Isa 63:17). The Lord brings the enemies of Israel (flesh) together and gathers them against us and sends us our every thought (Amo 4:13). When the hand of the Lord is against us, there is no man who can stand. If the Lord wants to ensnare us in bondage to our enemies, there is nothing any man can do otherwise.

Dan 4:35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

This three-nation alliance of nations comes and smites us (Israel) and ends up possessing the city of palm trees. Known for their height and straightness in rising above the earth (overcoming) it is those being made righteous that are palm trees.

Psa 92:12 The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

Psa 92:13 Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.

To mature and grow in faith, God’s people first make many mistakes and are overcome by their inward enemies. Thus, the mystery of why the Lord causes us to err and then brings the judgment and chastening that is raising us back up in Jesus Christ.

Palm trees are very much associated with God’s elect symbolically. Given time there are many interesting symbolisms to pursue about palm trees including they are evergreen, large fruit yields (dates, coconuts, etc), ability to grow in dry places, can withstand high winds (trials), have very deep roots etc. For brevity sake, there is one interesting connection about the Cherubim (messengers of God) who are these same palm trees that we see in the Scriptures speaking about the tabernacle of God and the Lord’s Temple which is the Body of Christ. Ever notice how palm trees all look alike? Well, that is because, in spirit, God’s palm trees are of one mind and are bearing the same stature (straight and erect) and fruit. Here is Ezekiel’s description of the doors of the temple of God. Of course, those doors are Christ and specifically the Christ (elect, the Body) thru whom all must pass to enter in (Rev 3:12, Joh 10:2).

Eze 41:20 From the ground unto above the door were cherubims and palm trees made, and on the wall of the temple.

Eze 41:21 The posts of the temple were squared, and the face of the sanctuary; the appearance of the one as the appearance of the other.

The city of palm trees is also known as Jericho (Deu 34:3, 2Ch 28:15) and is in the land allocated to the tribe of Benjamin. The city and plains of Jericho lies just west of Moab, on the western side (mature side) of the Jordan river and was the first conquest of Israel in the Promised Land (Joshua 6). Before we get into the appointment and actions of Ehud, the Judge, let’s look deeper at the Moabite king who enslaves us (Israel).

King Eglon

Our enemies in the promised land last time was the king of Mesopotamia (Ethiopia, think the world) who also enslaves Israel. This time the enemy is King Eglon of Moab who is a different rendering of the same first man Adam (the old man) and our beastly nature (Ecc 3:18) that has us leaning on our own understanding and carnal wisdom. The name Eglon is from the same word that means a bullock or a male cow.

H5695, ‛êgel

From the same as H5696; a (male) calf (as frisking round), especially one nearly grown (that is, a steer): – bullock, calf.

Eglon traces back to a root H5696 that means to revolve or go in circles. It is satanic mindset, the accuser of the brethren, whose origins create the Moabites that has us enslaved awaiting a judge and deliverer.

Job 1:7 And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

Carnal wisdom attempts to encircle the camp of the saints (the mind of Christ) but our Moabite folly will proceed no further when the day of the Lord is at hand.

Rev 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

Rom 2:15 Which shew the work of the [carnal] law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another

We are always to be on the lookout for Satan and his messengers and be diligent inwardly to guard our hearts and take such carnal thoughts captive.

1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about (within), seeking whom he may devour:

We are bound to this Moabite King, who is our religious beast full of carnal lies and false doctrines for eighteen symbolic years (3 process x 6 number of man – flesh) until Christ comes.

Luk 13:11 And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.

The power over clay (us) is always used for good in the end because it is by that process of having the Moabites destroyed within us that we learn the riches of His glory (righteousness).

Rom 9:21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

Rom 9:22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:

Rom 9:23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

Israel’s oppression and bondage to these heathen nations of our own flesh (sin) reach a hiatus (i.e. our wits end) and then we cry out to the Lord. Our merciful Lord raises up a Judge to deliver us from our bondage. Thus, the process of possessing the land has begun.

Jdg 3:15But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab.

It is instructive to our walk to look at all these names and symbols that define this Judge and deliverer of Israel. There is great spiritual significance in Ehud’s lineage and description given us here in Jdg 3:15.

H261, ‘êchûd

ay-khood’

From H258; united; Echud, the name of three Israelites: – Ehud.

Eze 21:16 Go thee one way or other [H258], either on the right hand, or on the left, whithersoever thy face is set.

The Word, the Judge that is in us, is a unifier. Ehud and all judgment, the commands of Christ, is what is exposing and eliminating our double-mindedness and life of serving two masters. We won’t get too far cleansing the Promised Land if we waver in faith which is double-mindedness and where we live being immature and torn between the ways of God and the ways of the world

Jas 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

Jas 1:7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

Jas 1:8 A double minded manis unstable in all his ways.

There is only ONE way to go and that is to follow the Lord which way is straight without any variableness.

Pro 4:27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Eze 10:11 When they went, they went upon their four sides; they turned not as they went, but to the place whither the head looked they followed it; they turned not as they went.

It is the carnal mindset in us that creates divisions in the Body of Christ and those Moabite nations need to be captured and kicked out of the land and congregation of the Saints.

1Co 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

Judge Ehud is also said to be the son of Gera who was the son of Benjamin. We learn that Benjamin, Joseph’s younger brother, is some type for the elect who are given five times the portion of food that signifies grace (the number 5) that is given to those to whom the Lord loves (Heb 12:6).

Gen 43:34 And he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin’s mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.

The name Gera as in “son of Gera” also supports this additional meal/mess principle as Gera [H1617] means “grain” and comes from a root [H1626] meaning “a kernel” like of corn or grain.

Another noteworthy trait is that Ehud like many Benjamites is said to be left-handed (Jdg 20:16) and is extremely fierce in battle. Benjamites, in particular, are known for their fierceness and aggression in battle as the conquests of Saul, Jonathan, the Apostle Paul and others depict in overcoming the enemies of Israel. We even see the “civil war” story in Judges 20 where the other eleven tribes have great difficulty in subduing a small Benjamite army. The blessing of Jacob to Benjamin has great spiritual significance for each of the tribes of Israel every part of which we, as God’s Israel, are living out now in this age (Mat 4:4).

Gen 49:27 Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.

Interesting to note that some translations like Brenton show the left-hand trait as being ambidextrous our using of both hands instead of saying left handed. Regardless, the ability to use our left hand or both hands is essential to bring deliverance to Israel and destroy the heathen nations within the Promised Land.

1Ch 12:2 They were armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left in hurling stones and shooting arrows out of a bow, even of Saul’s brethren of Benjamin.

As a Benjamite, Ehud exhibits this positive “wolf-like” traits. Unlike King Saul’s mistake with the Amalekite king, Ehud is very aggressive and merciless in disposing of the Moabite king.

Jdg 3:16 But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh

Jdg 3:21 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his (Eglon’s) belly

Satan is the left hand of the Lord (Job 1:11-12) and the Elect in the right hand (Mat 25:33). Through both hands, the Lord is creating and using evil for good purposes (Isa 45:7, Gen 50:20, Act 4:28). Within us, we too, are required to do evil in putting to death the enemies of God. Outwardly, we surely must love our enemies as the Lord commanded and changed the law. But inwardly, we are never to allow lies and false doctrines and carnal thoughts to linger and exalt themselves against Christ.

There is great significance in this language and the use of the left hand in killing the Moabite king. It links back to an age-old truth that it “takes two to tango” with our enemies.

Rom 2:13 For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

Jas 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

Ehud, the Benjamite, is both a hearer and a doer of the word in type. To become a doer of the WORD we must first become hearers. All Benjamites are born of the right hand of God as the meaning of the name depicts.

H1144, From H1121 and H3225; son of (the) right hand; Binjamin, youngest son of Jacob; also the tribe descended from him, and its territory: – Benjamin.

Judging righteous judgment is how we overcome and are becoming doers. But to do this, the Moabites must not be in our heavens or earth. Notice Ehud makes a two-edged dagger (same word as a sword) and places it on his right thigh which is a symbol of a man’s strength. To battle our enemies, we must be ready (girded) and have the sword on our right thigh that is guiding us in our walk. This story of Ehud is a second witness to battle preparations Paul teaches us about the whole armor of God.

Eph 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Notice the dagger (sword) is hidden under his raiment which is our covering in Christ. Christ and His Christ are bold as a lion but are also gentle as doves.

Mat 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

Lions strike quickly out of nowhere it seems when capturing their prey. The element of surprise works every time on a blind and unsuspecting enemy.

Pro 28:1 The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.

1Th 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

Our strength and sufficiency are of the Lord as is our ability to act in faith and kill our enemies within. The carnal mind corrupts our walk and a time comes when a judgment comes upon our house via a judge the Lord is, was and will be raising up within us. Real faith that moves mountains and destroys our enemies has works (actions) attached to it. We must use both our hands to pray without ceasing and act out in faith to purify our heavens and earth.

1Ti 2:8 I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

Isa 30:21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

The Body of Christ is where wisdom is found. Being wise as a serpent requires us to hold the Word in our right hand and the true riches, the doing of the Word, in our left hand. This brings honor and glory to our heavenly Father.

Pro 3:15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

Pro 3:16 Length of days is in her right hand; andin her left hand riches and honour.

Wisdom in the ways of God requires two arms. We need doctrine and we need actions in faith. The power of God will extend to both our hands and we will clap them in unison as we get victory after victory over our inward enemies.

2Co 6:7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

Isa 55:12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

There are more instructions and details to the story details of Judge Ehud killing the Moabite King. We will look at those details next week in how King Eglon and the Moabites were vanquished from the land.